• Former Colorado tight end Christian Fauria criticized coach Deion Sanders on a recent podcast.
• Fauria said Sanders isn’t ‘very bright’ and said he has ‘brainwashed’ supporters.
• Fauria’s son, Caleb, transferred from Colorado after Sanders was hired.

Two-time Super Bowl champion and former Colorado tight end Christian Fauria lambasted coach Deion Sanders for how he’s run the football program at Colorado, saying he’s not “very bright” and that “brainwashed” people support him “regardless of how stupid he is sometimes.”

Fauria, 54, made these comments this week when asked about Sanders on “The Zach Gelb Show.” Fauria played at Colorado from 1990 to 1994 under coach Bill McCartney before moving on to the NFL, where he won two Super Bowls as a member of the New England Patriots. Fauria’s son Caleb also was on theColoradoteam when Sanders was hired in December 2022 but then transferred to Delaware for the 2024 season.

“I’m just not a fan of the coach,” Fauria said on the podcast. “I’m not. I’ll never be a fan of the coach. I love the school. And this isn’t me picking on Deion Sanders, because I pick on (former NFL coach) Joe Gibbs. The worst coach I’ve ever had was Joe Gibbs (with the Washington NFL team), so me picking on Deion Sanders is nothing. I just don’t like the way he coaches football. I don’t think he’s very bright. I don’t think he can manage a game. I think there’s a lot of flash, but I think there’s no substance, you know. And he’s got a lot of people, like, brainwashed.”

Christian Fauria explains his issues with Deion Sanders

Fauria alluded to some issues other former Colorado players have had with Sanders, whose three-year record in Boulder is 16-21, including 3-9 in 2025. Some have been skeptical about how he flips the roster over every year with transfer players from other colleges, questioning how that builds a winning team culture, especially when they don’t learn the Colorado fight song. Sanders’ clock management also has been a sore subject among Colorado fans and alumni.

“Not a fan of his coaching style, not a fan of his messaging,” Fauria said. “There’s a lot of things internally that I know about that I’m not a fan of. And it’s just not worth my energy to sit there and follow it and then go back and forth with the emperor-has-no-clothes crowd that support him regardless of how stupid he is sometimes. So, yeah, that’s the way I feel about it, and it bugs me that a lot of alumni don’t just speak up about it.”

Gelb then asked Fauria about the notion Sanders at least has made Colorado “relevant” again after many years of futility before his arrival, including a 1-11 season in 2022. Colorado went 9-4 under Sanders in 2024 while winning a Heisman Trophy with two-way star Travis Hunter.

Fauria said he understands it’s “hard to win at Colorado” and that it takes a “special person” to do so, such as McCartney, who won a national championship there in 1990. Fauria said he backed Sanders initially and was “all for it.”

“But as time went on, I was just like, wait, none of this makes any sense,” Fauria said. “I’m like, ‘How long are they gonna to put up with this?’ And what else are we going to do? So if relevancy and having a sold-out crowd, having people talk about you on Twitter, if that’s what you want, well then congratulations. You’ve achieved it.”

‘Learn the fight song,’ former Colorado tight end says

Fauria outlined some things he’d like to see in Sanders’ program.

“Win games,” he said. “The way you win games. The way you recruit. Know everybody’s name. Give everybody the same attention. Sing the fight song. Learn the fight song. I would say then you’ve got business.”

Fauria closed the interview by making himself perfectly clear. He didn’t immediately return a message from USA TODAY Sports on whether he’d like to clarify any of these remarks.

“I’m not a fan,” he said on the podcast. “And I can really care less if anybody likes it or not. My give-a-(expletive) level is zero right now with people caring about my opinion of Deion Sanders.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

MILAN, Italy — For Jordan Stolz, it’s one down and three to go.

The American speed skating phenom won the gold medal in the men’s 1,000 meters Wednesday, Feb. 11, officially starting his quest for four golds at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In his first race at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, Stolz set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:06.28 to go along with the world record he already owned (1:05.37), while racing in front of  Snoop Dogg and speed skating legend Eric Heiden.

“Yeah, it’s really cool that I was able to win in front of both of them, I guess,’’ Stolz said. “I’m sure they were enjoying it. I definitely didn’t disappoint them.’’

Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands took silver with a time 1:06.78, and Zhongyan Ning earned bronze in 1:07.34.

To collect four golds, Stolze, the 21-year-old from Wisconsin, will need to win each of his remaining races: the 500 meters on Saturday, Feb. 14, 1,500 meters on Feb. 19 and the mass start on Feb. 21.

“There’s a little less pressure now that I’ve got one gold medal,’’ he said, later adding, “The pressure was kind of rising towards this one. I could definitely feel it.’’

The achievement would elevate him to legendary status possessed by Heiden, the U.S. speed skater who in 1980 became the only athlete to win five gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.

“That would be a little bit crazy, super historical,’’ Stolz said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen, right? It’s hard enough to get one gold medal.

“But one is huge.’’

The sound of Stolz on ice

Stolz raced against Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, and 600 meters into race Stolz trained de Boo by 0.4 seconds.

“I had high hopes but his last lap it just incredible and I heard him coming at 800 meters,’’ De Boo said. “And then I just knew it was too late.’’

“You hear his skates coming and it’s pretty creepy. It’s as creepy and of course I’m getting used to it now. …That feeling when you know he’s coming, it’s not a nice feeling, of course.’’

De Boo had to settle for the silver medal.

Stil, Stolz acknowledged being nervous with 400 meters left to go in the race and de Boo leading.

“I knew I’d have to have a really good last lap,’’ he said. “I thought about it before the race …that I’d have to try to catch him over the last lap. I threw two arms down just because I really didn’t want to lose.’’

Waiting, and waiting some more

The crowd seemed gripped by the clock as it counted down 15 minutes. That’s how much time waited until a reskate by Dutch skater Joep Wennemars, who nearly fell when he was obstructed by his paired opponent in his first run.

The officials granted Wennemars a solo reskate, and he came back on the ice roughly 15 minutes after all the scheduled pairs had race.

Wennemars won the world championship in the 1,000 last year. But Stolz indicated he was far less nervous about the reskate than he was anxious to take a celebratory lap around the rink while holding the flag.

Stolz said he knew it would be hard to reskate 30 minutes after skating 1,000 meters. Sure enough, Wennemars failed to improve on his initial time, and then it was official. The gold belonged to Stolz.

“It’s pretty unlucky what happened to him,’’ Stolz said of Wennemars. “I wouldn’t want to have that to anybody…’’

What seems to have been more agonizing was the four years Stolz had to wait since his Olympic debut to get another shot at medaling, starting in the 1,000.

“It’s one thing to win all of them in the World Cup,’’ he said. “To finally have it right to do it in the Olympics, that’s something that takes a lot of planning and I think I did it well.’’

Watch Winter Olympics on Peacock

When does Jordan Stolz compete at Olympics?

Stolz will do four individual races at the Olympics: the 500 meters, the 1,000 meters, the 1,500 meters and the mass start. All begin at night in Italy, meaning he’ll be racing live when it’s daytime in the United States.

• The 1,000 meters begins at 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
• The 500 meters begins at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 14.
• The 1,500 meters begins at 10:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 19.
• The mass start is on Saturday, Feb. 21, with the semifinals at 9 a.m. ET and the finals at 10:40 a.m. ET.

Will Jordan Stolz be a medal favorite?

Stolz has dominated speed skating over the last three seasons. He won the 500-, 1,000- and 1,500-meter titles at the world championships in 2023 and 2024, and claimed the season titles in all three distances last year.

This year he’s unbeaten in the 1,000 and 1,500 meters in the World Cups, and has won five of the seven 500-meter races. He’s also made the podium twice in the mass start, including a win at the World Cup in Hamar, Norway, after not racing it in international competition the past two seasons.

Should Stolz win those four races in Milano Cortina, he would be second only to Eric Heiden for most medals at a single Winter Olympics. Heiden won a record five when he famously swept the speed skating events at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid.

Norwegian biathlon great Ole Einar Bjørndalen (2002) and Soviet speed skater Lidiya Skoblikova (1964) are the only athletes to win four golds at a single Winter Olympics.

After the men’s Olympic hockey tournament kicked off at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a doubleheader on Wednesday with National Hockey League players participating for the first time in 12 years, eight nations will take the ice on Thursday.

Canada won the last two Olympics to feature NHL players, in 2010 and 2014, and looks to add their 10th gold overall, but Finland is the defending Olympic champion after its triumph at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

The United States last won a gold medal in the event in 1980, part of the ‘Miracle on Ice’ run, and last medaled in 2010, taking home the silver after an overtime loss to Canada at the Vancouver games.

Here is the full men’s hockey Olympic schedule for Thursday, Feb. 12:

• 6:10 a.m. – Switzerland vs. France | Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
• 10:40 a.m. – Canada vs. Czechia | Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena | USA Network, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
• 3:10 p.m. – USA vs. Latvia | Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena | USA Network, Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
• 3:10 p.m. –  Germany vs. Denmark | Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com

Bobsled, one of the oldest sports at the Winter Olympics, returns to the 2026 Milano Cortina Games and will showcase athletes with nerves of steel as they steer a high-tech sled down a fast, icy track with multiple turns.

Veteran U.S. bobsledders Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor are set to make their fifth appearance at the Winter Games and are heavy favorites to podium. Humphries and Meyers Taylor finished first and second respectively in the inaugural women’s monobob event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Bobsled includes a total of four events, which will be contested at the Cortina Sliding Centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

When did bobsled become a Winter Olympic sport?

Bobsled has been part of the Winter Olympics since the inaugural 1924 Chamonix Winter Games, although it wasn’t contested in Squaw Valley in 1960 to cut down expenses by not building a bobsled track. The two-man event was added to the program at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Games and the two-woman race made its Olympic debut in Salt Lake in 2002. The Olympic women’s monobob was first held at the 2022 Games in Beijing.

How does Olympic bobsled work?

Each sled has one driver, while others push the sled from the starting gate before jumping into the back of the sled for the rest of the ride. Bobsled events each last two days, with two runs each day. The fastest combined time determines the winner. Men and women each compete in their own events:

Men

• 4-man bobsled: One driver and three pushers in each sled
• 2-man bobsled: One driver and one pusher in each sled

Women

• 2-women bobsled: One driver and one pusher in each sled
• Monobob: One driver, no pushers

Top Team USA athletes

• Kaillie Humphries: The 40-year-old pilot won gold for the U.S. in monobob at the 2022 Beijing Games and also won gold in two-man in 2014 and 2010 while representing Canada. She joined short-track speedskater Viktor Ahn as the only Winter Olympians to win gold for different countries. Milano Cortina marks her fifth Games and first as a mother after giving birth to son Aulden in June 2024.
• Elana Meyers Taylor: The 41-year-old pilot/brakeman enters Milano Cortina, her fifth Winter Games, with five Olympic medals, including three silvers and two bronzes. She earned a silver medal in the inaugural women’s monobob at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and a bronze in the two-woman bobsled race with Sylvia Hoffman to become the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Olympics history.
• Kaysha Love: The up-and-coming bobsledder won gold in women’s monobob at the 2025 IBSF World Championships. Love, 28, made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, less than two years after beginning bobsled following a track and field career at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

International landscape

German bobsledder Francesco Friedrich is in pursuit of a record fifth gold medal. His four gold medals are tied for the most in the sport after winning the two-man and four-man event in Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. Milano Cortina will mark his fourth Winter Games. Germany’s Laura Nolte is also a top contender after winning gold in the two-woman bobsleigh in 2022 in Beijing.

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Kyle Busch will start on the pole for the 68th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 15.

It’s Busch’s first time on the pole for the big race during a career that’s spanned over two decades.

‘It sounds really good right now,’ Busch said on the FS1 broadcast. ‘This feels really good. It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this on Sunday night after finishing No. 1.’

Busch will be one of just seven NASCAR Cup champs in the field this weekend. Chase Briscoe will start from the second position.

The rest of the Daytona 500 lineup will be set Thursday following two Daytona Duel races.

The Daytona Duel races use Wednesday’s qualifying results to determine the starting order. Whichever driver qualifies on the pole will start first in Duel 1 and the second-fastest driver will lead the way in Duel 2.

This year’s Daytona 500 marks the Cup Series debut of Connor Zilisch with Trackhouse Racing. Nine drivers are attempting to race without a charter and will have to qualify via the Duel races. There are 41 spots in the race and 45 drivers vying to compete.

Here’s the results from Wednesday night’s qualifying:

Kyle Busch on pole for Daytona 500

Kyle Busch will be on the pole for the Daytona 500 this weekend. Busch claimed the top spot with a time of 49.006 in the final round of qualifying on Wednesday. Chase Briscoe will start in the second position.

Dayton 500 final qualifying round results

• Kyle Busch (49.006)
• Chase Briscoe (49.023)
• Ryan Preece (49.061)
• Denny Hamlin (49.100)
• Corey Heim (49.148)
• Alex Bowman (49.152)
• Kyle Larson (49.158)
• Chris Buescher (49.184)
• Chase Elliott (49.220)
• Joey Logano (49.275)

Justin Allgaier qualifies for Daytona 500 as open driver

Justin Allgaier locked in a spot for the 2026 Daytona 500 after finishing the first round of qualifying with a time of 49.201. He also bumped Corey LaJoie out of the top 10.

Allgaier was also bumped out of the top 10 moments later after Joey Logano (49.138) jumped into the top 10. Regardless of his placement at the end of the round, Allgaier secured a spot in the Daytona 500 as one of the two fastest non-chartered drivers along with Corey Heim.

Corey Heim qualifies for Daytona 500

Corey Haim of 23XI Racing qualified for the Dayton 500 on time on Wednesday evening. Heim was ranked third with a time of 49.14 seconds (183.16 MPH) in the first round when he officially qualified.

Kyle Busch (48.932) and Ryan Preece (49.081) remain in first and second, respectively.

Noah Gragson’s time disallowed

Noah Gragson had his initial first-round time disallowed after he broke a new window rule.

NASCAR set a new rule that penalizes drivers who put their hand in the side window. Gragson was seen sticking his hand out of the netting of his car. The rule was set in place by NASCAR to prevent drivers from taking their hands off the wheel, according to the FS1 broadcast.

‘I forgot about that rule, … ‘ Gragson said on the FS1 broadcast. ‘I feel like an idiot.’

Gragson will return on Thursday to compete in the Duels. The duels will be two 150-mile qualifying races that help determine the third to 40th positions for the Daytona 500.

Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece lead pack early

Kyle Busch has jumped ahead of the field early, with the fastest qualifying time in round one so far, at 48.932 seconds through the first 17 drivers. Ryan Preece is currently second with a time of 49.081.

How to watch Daytona 500 pole qualifying

• Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Location: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
• TV: FS1
• Stream:Fubo, foxsports.com, Fox Sports app

How to watch and stream 2026 Daytona 500

• Date: Sunday, Feb. 15
• Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
• TV: Fox
• Stream: Fubo, foxsports.com, Fox Sports app

Watch the 2026 Daytona 500 with a Fubo subscription

The Dallas Mavericks announced that Cooper Flagg underwent an MRI, which revealed a left midfoot sprain.

The injury is expected to keep him out of action for the rest of the week, including the Mavericks’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Feb. 12.

Flagg suffered the injury during a game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The injury will also keep him out of the NBA’s All-Star weekend festivities, according to reporter Marc Stein.

The rookie was expected to compete for Team Melo in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday.

Flagg had averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 49 games played this season. He’s considered the favorite for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year based on odds at BetMGM.

One person was killed and 32 others injured when an Iowa Lakes Community College bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The single-vehicle crash happened on an Iowa highway around 11 a.m. local time.

The identity of the deceased has not been released. The college released a statement in the afternoon that confirmed the team’s involvement in the crash, according to KCCI.

A total of 33 people were on the bus when it went off the road and overturned in a ditch, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

‘The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority,’ the college said in a release, according to KTIV. ‘The College is actively supporting those affected and communicating directly with families.’

One person died at the scene, but the Calhoun County IA Emergency Management Agency declared the crash a mass casualty incident because of the number of injuries involved in a release posted on Facebook.

Those injured were transported by air or ground ambulance to various hospitals in the local area, according to a statement by the Iowa State Patrol. The crash remains under investigation.

Iowa Lakes CC was scheduled to play against North Arkansas College in a series of games to finish out the week. The slate of games has been canceled following the accident. The game against Central Christian JV in McPherson, Kansas, on Feb. 26 has not been postponed.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn has had a third surgery, calling it ‘successful’ and giving a promising update on her recovery.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Feb. 11, Vonn said she is making progress, even though it is slow. She included three photos, including one that shows her injured left leg in a gruesome-looking device likely meant to stabilize it. There also appear to be stitches in her leg below the knee.

Vonn suffered a complex tibial fracture in her left leg when she crashed during the Olympic downhill Sunday, Feb. 6.

‘I had my 3rd surgery today and it was successful. Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago,’ Vonn wrote. ‘I’m making progress and while it is slow, I know I’ll be ok.’

Vonn appears to be in good spirits, despite the circumstances. She was giving a slight smile and a thumbs up in the photo showing the stabilizer and, in another, she’s laughing as she talks with a member of her medical team at Ca’Foncello Hospital in Terviso.

Vonn said she was thankful for the ‘incredible’ medical staff, friends and family who’ve been with her the last four days. She called the outpouring of support she’s gotten from people around the world ‘beautiful,’ and included a photo of multiple bouquets and floral arrangements.

She also thanked her U.S. Olympic teammates for ‘inspiring me and giving me something to cheer for.’

Despite being in the hospital, Vonn clearly has been monitoring results at the Games. Shortly after their events ended, she posted Instagram stories congratulating Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan for their bronze in the team combined on Tuesday, Feb. 10, and Ryan Cochran-Siegle for his silver in the super-G on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

What happened to Lindsey Vonn?

Vonn hooked the fourth gate with her right arm, which sent her spinning and hurtling into the hard, packed snow. She tumbled end over end several times before coming to a stop.

‘Things just happen so quick in this sport,’ U.S. teammate Bella Wright said after the race. ‘It looked like Lindsey had incredible speed out of that turn, and she hooked her arm and it’s just over just like that.’

The three-time Olympic medalist remained prone in the snow, and she could be heard wailing in pain. The gasps and groans from fans faded into shocked silence as medics worked on her. Vonn remained on the course for approximately 13 minutes before being loaded into a helicopter.

What is Lindsey Vonn’s injury?

In an Instagram post on Monday, Vonn shared the devastating news that she suffered a complex tibia fracture that will require multiple surgeries.

A tibia fracture is a break in the shin bone that is an emergency needing immediate treatment. ‘Your tibias are some of the strongest bones in your body. It usually takes a lot of force to break one,’ according to the Cleveland Clinic. ‘You probably won’t be able to stand, walk or put weight on your leg if you have a broken shin bone.’

A complex fracture involves multiple breaks in a bone and damaged soft tissue, according Yale Medicine. Symptoms include extreme pain, numbness and, sometimes, a bone that protrudes through the skin. Treatment involves stabilization and surgery.

Lindsey Vonn crash video

NBC broadcasts the Olympics and posted video of Vonn’s crash.

USA TODAY Sports’ Samantha Cardona-Norberg breaks down Linsdey Vonn’s crash just after it happened.

Fans went silent as soon as Vonn crash, reacting with shock, grief and later support as the helicopter lifted her into the sky. USA TODAY Sports talked to some fans after the crash.

Is Lindsey Vonn OK?

Vonn was in obvious pain after the crash, but she was moving her arms, head and neck.

About 18 minutes after the crash, the helicopter slowly began flying toward Cortina. ‘Let’s let Lindsey Vonn hear us!’ the American announcer said as the chopper flew away with her, and the crowd cheered and applauded.

Vonn’s sister Karin Kildow was at the course today for the downhill and spoke to NBC reporters during their live broadcast:

‘I mean that definitely was the last thing we wanted to see and it happened quick and when that happens, you’re just immediately hoping she’s okay. And it was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, it’s not a good sign,’ Kildow said. ‘But she really … She just dared greatly and she put it all out there. So it’s really hard to see, but we just really hope she’s okay.

‘She does have all of her surgeons and her PT staff here and her doctors, so I’m sure they’ll give us a report and we’ll meet her at whatever hospital she’s at.’

Lindsey Vonn torn ACL

It was second time in as many weeks Vonn left a mountaintop on a chopper. She fully ruptured her left ACL, sustaining meniscus damage and bone bruising, in a downhill crash on Jan. 30, in the final World Cup event in that discipline prior to the start of the Olympics.

Vonn is also skiing with a partial replacement of her right knee. She had dominated the sport before the crash, making the podium in all five downhill races this season and winning two of them.

Despite the latest injury, Vonn was determined to race at her fifth and final Olympics. She said her knee felt stable and strong, and she had spent the last week doing intense rehab , pool workouts, weight lifting and plyometrics. She skied both training runs, posting the third-fastest time in the second run before it was canceled because of fog and snow.

Brigham Young football’s Parker Kingston is facing a first-degree felony rape charge, according to a news release from the Washington County (Utah) Attorney’s Office issued on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

He was added to the Washington County Sherriff’s Office inmate roster on Feb. 11.

Kingston is being held in a Washington County jail without bail, according to the announcement. The charge stems from an incident on Feb. 23, 2025, in St. George, Utah, which is over 250 miles south of BYU’s campus in Provo, Utah. The alleged victim — 20 years old at the time — made a report of sexual assault to officers at St. George Regional Hospital.

The St. George Police Department said it conducted interviews with those involved and other witnesses. Kingston is set to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. MT on Feb. 13.

BYU acknowledged the arrest in a statement to the USA TODAY Network.

“BYU became aware today of the arrest of Parker Kingston,’ the statement read. ‘The university takes any allegation very seriously and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”

Kingston, a redshirt junior last season, caught 67 passes for 928 yards with five touchdowns in 2025, along with 25 carries for 125 yards with three touchdowns. He was a second-team All-Big 12 selection.

The charges come less than a year after former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff faced sexual assault allegations in a civil lawsuit that was later dropped. Retzlaff transferred to Tulane after facing a seven-game suspension for breaking BYU’s Honor Code.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.